1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to filters for cigarettes. In one aspect, it relates to a filter with means to direct the exiting smoke from the filter in a lateral direction. In another aspect, the invention relates to the use of apertures circumabiently arranged around the circumference of the filter adjacent to the mouth end of the filter to direct at least part of the smoke exiting the filter laterally therefrom.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the manufacture of filters for cigarettes which are in the low and ultra-low tar (1 mg. to 10 mg.) category, most of the filters use a large quantity of ventilating air which is generally introduced into the filter to reduce the tar in the smoke stream through dilution. In most of the commercially available products of the low and ultra-low tar category, so much ventilating air is added into the filter that the smoke is concentrated in the center of the filter and, during smoke draw, enters the smoker's mouth horizontally or longitudinally in a very fine stream thereby missing many of the "taste buds"; thus, delivering very little taste.
There have been suggested many different types of filters for cigarettes wherein the filters are provided with means to alter the flow of the smoke stream passing therethrough in anticipation of improving efficiency of the filter. These include, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,833,289; U.S. Pat. No. 3,496,945; and, U.S. Pat. No. 2,849,005. However, none of these teach means to physically direct the smoke exiting from the filter in a lateral direction.